In 2021, over 48,000 Americans were killed by gun violence—this was an increase of 23% since 2019. This trend is likely to continue if nothing is done about it. Despite the passing of a bipartisan gun safety law in 2022, the momentum for gun safety has stalled. The need for charitable organizations to fight for gun safety is greater than ever. So, we had to ask: What are the best charities that fight for gun safety?

The best charities that fight for gun safety are Brady, Giffords, and Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions. Other charities like Sandy Hook Promise and March for Our Lives empower young people and educators to advocate for gun safety.

Whether you want to support gun safety legislation in Congress or support research into the causes of gun violence to inform the conversation, there is a charity for you. Keep reading to learn more about what the best charities that fight for gun safety are all about, how they work, and what your best way would be to make a contribution.

Here’s What All the Best Charities That Fight for Gun Safety Have in Common

The charities on this list were chosen based on their sustained efforts to promote gun safety, their open transparency, and their commitment to reducing the number of Americans who are hurt or killed by guns.

Many of their operations and goals grow more ambitious every year as the issue of gun violence grows larger.

These charities may fight for gun safety in different ways, from litigating cases against firearms manufacturers to researching factors of gun violence in order to create evidence-based solutions.

Yet, they all work toward a common goal: to make a more peaceful future by reducing the negative impact of guns in America through advocacy and activism.

These Are the 9 Best Charities That Fight for Gun Safety in 2023

Below are our favorite charities that fight for gun safety:

Best Charities That Fight for Gun Safety in 2023

Brady

Giffords

Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions

Sandy Hook Promise

March for Our Lives

Everytown for Gun Safety

Robby Poblete Foundation

Teachers Unify to End Gun Violence

Violence Policy Center

(At the end of this article we’ll also share our six-step approach on how you can select the best charity to support.)

Brady: Take Action, Not Sides

Brady was established in 1974 as the “National Council to Control Handguns” by Dr. Mark Borinsky to combat gun violence in America after he was robbed at gunpoint. Then, in 2000, the charity was renamed Brady in honor of former Secretary of State Jim Brady and his wife Sarah who were instrumental in passing their namesake Brady Bill. Today, Brady is one of the largest gun safety charities in the country. 

Brady holds a 3-star rating from Charity Navigator and a Platinum Seal of Transparency from GuideStar.

“Brady. More than a name, it’s a movement.”

Brady

Brady’s main activities include pursuing legislative policy solutions to both close loopholes in existing laws and fighting on behalf of gun violence victims via pro bono legal work. For example, Brady supported the 2021 Enhanced Background Checks Act and provided funding for the Gun Violence Prevention Research Act. They also provide over $1.5 million in pro bono services annually to the survivors of gun violence while working to reform the gun industry. 

Since their inception, Brady has filed over 250 lawsuits in 40 states on behalf of victims of gun violence, resulting in over $50 million in verdicts and settlements. For example, in 2022, they litigated 25 cases in favor of gun violence victims, reviewed 2,813 gun dealer reports, and helped pass over 30 new gun violence prevention laws.

You can donate directly to Brady via their website. And you can join a local Brady Chapter to work in your community.

Giffords: Courage to Fight Gun Violence

Giffords was founded in 2013 by former member of Congress, and gun violence survivor, Gabby Giffords, to educate voters on the facts of gun violence in America and to support political candidates who commit to pursuing legislative solutions to gun violence. Today, Giffords is one of the most active and prolific gun safety groups in the country. 

The legislative-action branch of Giffords, the Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, holds a 4-star rating on Charity Navigator, with a 100% transparency rating. They also hold a Silver Seal of Transparency from GuideStar.

“We’re on a mission to save lives from gun violence.”

Giffords

Giffords’ primary activities include supporting pro-gun safety candidates for office and lobbying state legislatures to pass gun safety laws. For example, in 2019, they successfully supported gun safety candidates in Virginia, leading to seven new gun safety bills being signed into law. They also file lawsuits directly against gun-lobby groups such as the NRA, as well as submit amicus briefs nationwide to seek victories in the courts for gun safety.

Since their inception, Giffords has helped pass gun safety laws in 48 states. In Congress, they have supported the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act and the Enhanced Background Checks Act. In the courts, they successfully filed to force the Federal Election Commission to investigate the NRA for violating campaign finance laws. And, in 2022, the charity launched Giffords Center for Violence Intervention, helping to fund community-based groups in disadvantaged areas of the country.

You can donate directly to Giffords via their website. You can also volunteer to join their Action Network and vote for pro-gun control leaders if you are eligible to vote in your state. 

Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions: Research and Practice

The Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions (a nonprofit division of Johns Hopkins University) was founded in 2022 and seeks solutions to gun control through a public health approach. The charity was formed after the Educational Fund to Stop Gun Violence merged with the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Prevention. Today, they seek to bridge the gap between researchers and lawmakers to enact evidence-informed policies for decreasing gun violence. 

The Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions holds a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator, including a 100% transparency rating.

“We conduct rigorous research and use advocacy to implement evidence-based, equitable policies and programs that will prevent gun violence in our communities.”

Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions

As part of the well-respected Johns Hopkins University, the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions conducts rigorous independent research to inform policymakers about the most effective ways to combat gun violence. These published studies inform not only policymakers, but also nonprofit organizations, and local organizers who fight to stop gun violence in their communities. Furthermore, two areas the charity emphasizes in their research are the disproportionate impact of gun violence on communities of color, as well as the role handgun purchaser licensing plays in national gun violence. 

The Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions research has included the effects of solutions like extreme risk protection laws, as well as factors that impact gun violence such as alcohol or limited concealed-carry restrictions. They have also studied certain communities, such as Baltimore, to determine the exact impact of gun safety policies. Their studies have been covered by media outlets such as CNN, NPR, and CBS News. 

You can donate directly to the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions via their website. 

Sandy Hook Promise: Preventing Gun Violence Before it Happens

Sandy Hook Promise was founded in 2013 by the parents of children killed during the 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, CT, to advocate for gun safety laws and ultimately help prevent more mass shootings. Today, they are one of the most well-funded gun prevention organizations in the country and operate multiple national programs. 

Sandy Hook Promise holds a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator, including a 100% transparency rating. They also have a Platinum Seal of Transparency from GuideStar, their highest ranking.

“Our mission is to educate and empower youth and adults to prevent violence in schools, homes, and communities.”

Sandy Hook Promise 

Sandy Hook Promise is primarily focused on educating students and staff on the warning signs of potential violence, but they also build grassroots support for gun control measures and lobby Congress to pass common-sense gun reform. For example, their Say Something program trains students to recognize signs of a potential shooting and to alert a trusted adult, and their Save Promise Club empowers young people to call for change in their communities. 

Since their inception, Sandy Hook Promise have reached over 23,000 schools nationwide, with more than 18.5 million participants. Through this growth, they have prevented 14 planned school shootings, saved 406 lives with crisis intervention, and received 171,000 anonymously reported tips. In addition, in 2018, they helped pass the STOP School Violence Act, and in 2022, supported the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act that was successfully signed into law. 

You can donate directly to Sandy Hook Promise via their website. You can also support them by making a purchase from their online clothing store, hosting your own local fundraiser, or becoming a volunteer, called a Promise Leader.

March for Our Lives: Not One More

March for Our Lives was founded in 2018 by students of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School with the aim of mobilizing young people to fight for gun control legislation. They were formed days after a shooting at their school which motivated these students to demand action from their elected leaders. Today, they fight for legislation at the state and federal levels.

March for Our Lives holds a Gold Seal of Transparency from GuideStar.

“Born out of a tragic school shooting, March for Our Lives is a courageous youth-led movement dedicated to promoting civic engagement, education, and direct action by youth to eliminate the epidemic of gun violence.”

March for Our Lives

March for Our Lives is primarily focused on grassroots organizing to motivate young people to speak out via protest and their right to vote. These efforts come in the form of organized marches to draw the national spotlight on gun violence, as they did in their inception, and they also draft petitions and send messages to Congress demanding stricter gun legislation. They continue to encourage young people to mobilize their peers to vote via text and phone banks to demand gun reform from their local leaders.

Since being created, March for Our Lives has demonstrated in over 400 cities, grabbing the nation’s attention with marches and public displays. For example, in 2022, they created the Thoughts and Prayers Body Bag Art Installation. They have also successfully lobbied for stricter gun legislation, such as thways to

You can donate directly to March for Our Lives via their website. You can also volunteer to work with a local chapter.

Everytown for Gun Safety: Reducing Gun Violence in America

Everytown for Gun Safety was established in 2013 when Mayors Against Illegal Guns and Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America joined together to advocate for evidence-based solutions for gun violence. Today, they are the largest gun-safety advocacy organization in America with nearly 10 million members.

Everytown for Gun Safety holds a 3-star rating from Charity Navigator with an 85% transparency rating. They also hold a Gold Seal of Transparency from GuideStar.

“We have a plan to reduce gun violence.”

Everytown for Gun Violence

Everytown for Gun Safety conducts original research on gun violence and supports gun safety candidates for office. They also challenge dangerous gun laws through Everytown Law, as well as providing resources to local community leaders who are drafting new gun legislation. Furthermore, they aid voters in knowing which candidates support gun safety measures through their Gun Sense Candidate website which details candidates who have proven they support stricter gun laws. 

Everytown for Gun Safety’s independent studies have been featured in accredited outlets such as CNN and The Hill. Furthermore, Everytown Law has represented victims of gun violence as well as cities that have enacted gun safety laws across America. 

You can donate directly to Everytown for Gun Safety via their website. Other ways to help include joining a local chapter of Moms/Students Demand Action, or joining the Gun Sense Action Network to place calls directly to potential voters and volunteers.

Robby Poblete Foundation: Be the Change

The Robby Poblete Foundation was established in 2014 by Pati Poblete, with the aim of combatting the illegal gun trade. They are named after Pati’s 23-year-old son, Robby, who was killed by an illegally purchased gun. While most of their activity is centralized in Southern California, the foundation has expanded their reach to include Georgia as well. 

The Robby Poblete Foundation holds a Silver Seal of Transparency from GuideStar.

“By turning in unwanted guns, people can prevent those firearms from being stolen and used for crime, or being accidentally used by a child in the home.”

Robby Poblete Foundation

The Robby Poblete Foundation removes unwanted firearms from circulation and repurposes their metal into thought-provoking art commissions. They host gun buyback events where firearm owners are financially incentivized to turn in old or unwanted firearms. Unsecured firearms pose a risk not only to those living in the home but also to the community if they are lost or stolen. The Foundation’s art commissions are produced through the Art of Peace program by local artists utilizing the material from donated firearms.

Since being established, the Robby Poblete Foundation has bought back over 1,350 guns across 5 gun buyback locations in 2 states. They have also expanded their work to include the Work in Progress program that has provided apprenticeship scholarships in skilled trades for many young people and formerly incarcerated individuals who are attempting to reintegrate into society. 

You can donate directly to the Robby Poblete Foundation via their website. You can also contact the foundation to bring a gun buyback event to your community!

Teachers Unify to End Gun Violence: Elevating Stories of Gun Violence

Teachers Unify to End Gun Violence was founded in 2021 by three public school teachers, two of whom survived school shootings, in an effort to amplify the voices of educators to end gun violence. Today, they spread the stories of teachers, counselors, and other school staff from around the country to mobilize voters to support common-sense gun legislation reform. 

Teachers Unify to End Gun Violence holds a Silver Seal of Transparency from Guidestar.

“Teachers Unify to End Gun Violence is a grassroots movement of educators across America whose mission is to elevate stories of gun violence in schools and communities in order to influence policies and Americans at large to make us safer.”

Teachers Unify to End Gun Violence

Teachers Unify to End Gun Violence’s main activities include publishing the stories of educators and other school staff who have been hurt by gun violence to amplify their voices, and to teach educators how to be activists in their communities and fight for safer schools. For example, their Teachers Unify Podcast compiles the stories of teachers who have been impacted by gun violence to share their experiences and perspectives. They also offer opportunities for teachers to learn how to be community organizers to lead their communities in demanding action on gun violence.

Teachers Unify to End Gun Violence has over 1,800 members, and they have spoken at events for the Just Majority campaign, in which they partnered with over 30 other advocacy organizations. The founders and their stories have also been featured in interviews with Time Magazine and The Washington Post. 

You can donate directly to Teachers Unify to End Gun Violence via their website. You can also volunteer your story if you are an educator or other school staff member.

Violence Policy Center: Research, Investigation, Analysis, and Advocacy for a Safer America 

The Violence Policy Center was founded in 1988 by Josh Sugarmann with the goal of ending gun violence by approaching it as a health issue instead of a solely criminal one. Today, their original studies and analyses are utilized by gun control advocates all over the country to fight for gun safety. 

The Violence Policy Center holds a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator, including a 93% transparency rating. They also hold a Silver Seal of Transparency from GuideStar.

“The Violence Policy Center is a national educational organization working to stop gun death and injury.”

Violence Policy Center

The Violence Policy Center conducts original research on the impacts of gun violence, the regulation of the gun industry, and the gun lobby industry. Their research includes studies on black homicide victimization, gun violence against women, silencer proliferation, high-capacity magazine use in mass shootings, and much more. These studies are vital in the hands of gun safety advocates to prove, through data, what steps are required to attain gun safety.

The Violence Policy Center’s studies have been cited by the American Psychology Association and the National Criminal Justice Association. Also, in the years since their landmark More Gun Dealers Than Gas Stations study in 1992, helping to reduce the number of US gun dealers from over 250,000 to fewer than 56,000 today, they have conducted many studies and projects targeting gun safety issues. These range from ongoing projects such as Concealed Carry Killers, targeting gun laws on Capitol Hill, to studies like Blood Money, which raises public awareness of the NRA’s continuous funding of the gun industry. 

You can donate directly to the Violence Policy Center via their website. You can also follow them on social media and spread updates about their work.

How Can You Select the Best Charities to Support?

The charities on the list are, we deem, the best charities that fight for gun safety. However, you may have a particular charity you want to support. Let’s look at what you can do to ensure your contribution has the most significant impact.

• Check out the charity website. Charities that are worthy of your donations are transparent in their mission and their figures. Familiarize yourself with their history, mission, and values. Their website usually is the best place to start.
• Identify the charity’s mission. Without a goal, the charity is likely to fail. If the charity’s mission isn’t clear, it’s probably worth looking for a charity that does have a clear mission. 
• Check if the charity has measurable goals. An effective charity has clear goals. You want to know your donation will help the charity reach its goals. But if it doesn’t have targets, it’s likely to fail or squander your gift. The charity should be able to account for its spending and supply evidence of the work they do.
• Assess the successes or goals the charity has achieved. You wouldn’t invest in a business if it kept missing its targets. In the same way, charities are like this too. If no one is assessing a charity’s progress in reaching its targets, the chances are they’re not making a substantial positive change.
• Check the charity’s financials and stats. Trustworthy organizations will publish financial statements and reports each year. Some might be exempt from having to do so, but they should be able to provide them to public members who are interested in donating.
• Locate sources who work with or benefit from the charity. Word of mouth and first-hand experience of a charity’s work lets you know the charity’s quality. If you’re able to do so, check out the charity for yourself or speak to someone familiar with it. This way, your donation will go to the right place. 

How Can You Best Support These Charities?

After you’ve made your decision, it’s time for you to decide on how you’d like to help the charities you’ve chosen. Check how you can help—each charity runs specific programs that have unique aims. Find out what the aim of such programs is and whether they are right for you. 

Here are a few ways you can help your chosen charity:

• Donate money. You can find donation pages on the websites of most charities. Your donation can be a one-time payment, or you can set it to be deducted regularly at different intervals. You can mostly pay via credit card, but some charities also take PayPal or Bitcoin payments.
• Buy their official merchandise. The charities can also raise money by selling merchandise. So, you can support them by buying the mugs, shirts, caps, pens, pencils, and any other such items they may be selling. Ideally, you should buy as much as you can to share and spread the word about the charity’s activities.
• Donate a percentage of your online purchases. If you bought anything on sites like Amazon lately, you’d find a prompt asking you to donate to your favorite charities through their Amazon Smile program. You can set this up so that your chosen charities will get a fraction of your online purchases.
• Engage in volunteer work. As you’ve seen from our descriptions above, some charities engage in a lot of local and grassroots programs. You can help by taking on and organizing the program in your local area.
• Help their fundraising efforts. You can spread the word about the charity in your workplace, school, church, etc., and hold creative fundraising drives on social media or offline within your small circles.
• Share their stories. Most charities have compelling stories that you can share with your audience to attract more people to the cause.

Final Thoughts

Now, it’s in your hands to select the charity that resonates most with you. And whichever charity you end up choosing and contributing to, we are sure they will immensely appreciate your support. Hopefully, the information in this article has made this selection process a bit easier for you to support charities dedicated to fighting for gun safety—and based on the causes that matter most to you.

Stay impactful,

PS: Finally, I want to leave you with a thought-provoking TED talk from Dan Pallotta, a leading philanthropic activist and fundraiser, about what is wrong with the way we think about charities—and what we can do about it:

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